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| Escape to Witch Mountain (Special Edition) | 
| Directors: John Hough, Clyde Geronimi
Actors: Eddie Albert, Ray Milland, Donald Pleasence, Kim Richards, Ike Eisenmann
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Category: DVD
Buy New: $15.26
Buy New/Used from $6.98
Avg. Customer Rating:  (23 reviews)
Sales Rank: 47603
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Special Edition, Widescreen, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: G (General Audience)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 97 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.75:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 5.1 x 0.6
ISBN: 0788838075
UPC: 786936192469
EAN: 9780788838071
ASIN: B00009YXAT
Release Date: September 2, 2003
Theatrical Release Date: March 21, 1975
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Description
A vehicle floats in midair ... a coat rack comes to life and attacks a sheriff ... and wild animals are putty in the hands of Tony and Tia Malone in Disney's thrilling fantasy adventure about the psychic powers of two young orphans. Their clairvoyance prompts evil millionaire Aristotle Bolt (Ray Milland) to lure them to his mansion to exploit their powers. While escaping, they meet a friendly camper (Eddie Albert) and begin to unravel the mystery of their origin. Soon, all three are fleeing townspeople who have branded the children witches. But then IT happens! Someone with even greater powers takes over and leads the children -- and the audience -- into a dazzling and unexpected experience ... one that is truly out of this world!
Amazon.com
The effects are low-tech and no longer special, but Escape to Witch Mountain still has plenty of Disney live-action charm. It's rather quaint by later standards, coming just two years before Star Wars upped the ante on movie magic, but the story's got timeless appeal as a precursor to Harry Potter's more lavish brand of kid-wizardry. Here you've got Tony (Ike Eisenmann) and sister Tia (Kim Richards), orphans unaware of their mysterious past, who are taken in by a nefarious liar (Ray Milland) seeking to exploit their supernatural powers. Populated by '70s stalwarts like Donald Pleasance and Eddie Albert (the later playing the kids' grown-up accomplice, unwittingly rescuing them from Milland), this lightweight Disney fare is perfect for kids under 10, with such enticements as a clever cat mascot named Winky (because he winks a lot), Tony's magical harmonica... and a Winnebago that flies! With a sci-fi climax, this popular hocus-pocus spawned a 1978 sequel (Return from Witch Mountain) that has proven similarly popular with kids. --Jeff Shannon
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| Customer Reviews: Read 18 more reviews...
 Poor in every way but... December 30, 2007
0 out of 5 found this review helpful
my wife wanted it. Personally, this is one of the lamest, poorest quality movies ever produced. The special effects look like something from a high school film class. The story line is totally pathetic.
 Good Old Classic from the Days When Kids Movies Could be a Bit More Realistic Thrill Wise September 2, 2007
This classic 1975 adventure is hilarious in parts (granted some laughs are also from the old very dated special effects) of the storyline and edge of your seat thrilling in others. This movie is based on the book of the same name by Alexander Key which was a lot different to this movie wand is a little bit less complicated character wise for the child actors and I guess Disney made it a bit more family friendly as well. Alexander Key was the Steven King for junior fiction back in the 70's and 80's and it's a shame most of his novels are out of print now, but at least the movies or his books are being re-released again. What is also good is that back in this era of film kids films could be a bit more realistic and include things like adults chasing kids with guns (I'm glad they didn't do what ET did and replace the guns with flashlights or something ridiculous), and a bully getting his comeuppance with baseball equipment, stuff like this are all classic scenes and unfortunately in this politically correct cotton wool kid generation world of today have disappeared from films.
This is a great film and is the story of two kids named Tony and Tia Malone who as the film begins are being put into an orphanage as their foster parents just died. Even though they swore to each other not to reveal their powers a bully pushes the wrong buttons and Tony unleashes his powers (with hilarious results). They save a man's life who shows his gratitude by pretending to be their uncle (with the backing of an evil millionaire) and taking them back to his employers mansion who has plans to exploit the children. The children have plans of their own to journey to a destination on a map hidden in Tia's starkit but corrupt police, rednecks and everyone will do whatever they can to stop them. Classic film, region 4 DVD has no extras but it looks like the region Amazon sells has a few. You can also get this DVD as a double movie package with its sequel with the very imaginative title Return from Witch Mountain. Not just for kids, adults will love this too!
A Great Escape September 10, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A Great film for anyone from 5 to 95 if they have any imagination at all. Special effects are somewhat minimal but are good considering when the movie was made. The computer graphics used now were not available at that time. As far as I could see only one reviewer came close to attributing the script to it's 'spiritual' if not it's real source. The entire story could have come directly from Zenna Henderson's 'universe' of the People.
The film covers a short period in the lives of two children of the "People" during which they discover why they are different from others around them and eventualy find a large group of others like themselves. For those not familiar with the ultimate source of the tale, The "People" are survivors of a planet of a star which became a nove. One of the escaping starships traveled toward our earth but was damaged on the way. On entering the atmosphere most of those who escaped in lifeboats were widly scatered, usually in small family groups across the Western great plains of the USA. (The ship crashed in the Colorado Rockies). These People were exactly like us in appearence, even to genetic compatibility, but had many mental power powers we do not have.
To anyone wanting to know more about these People I highly recommend four of Zenna Henderson's books: "Pilgrimage: The Book of the People", "The People, No Different Flesh", "The Anything Box" and "Holding Wonder". These were written in the 1950's or early 1960's, so may be difficult to find.
I have always been disapointed that no other films were made based on these stories.
 A lot of fun to watch July 5, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was always amazed when Disney got the formula right after the 1960s. In 1975, Disney Studios found the magic again with "Escape to Witch Mountain." Soon the special effects of this movie would be eclipsed by the breakthrough movie "Star Wars," but many of the special effects still hold up today, and make this movie a lot of fun to watch.
Tony Malone (Ike Eisenmann, whose acting career has been supplanted by other interests, though he had a memorable role in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan") and Tia Malone (who was a real cutie then and now, but whose acting career mostly stopped in 1985) are two children who appear to be orphaned. But there is something strange about Tony and Tia. They can do magic! Well, maybe not magic, but they are telekinetic, telepaths, and Tia seems to be able to foretell the future.
We meet Tony and Tia as they are entering a children's home. After Tony handles a bully using his mental powers we realize that Tony and Tia are not average orphans. When we overhear Tony and Tia talking to each other using telepathy, we realize Tony and Tia are really out of place.
Unfortunately, Tony and Tia are also incredibly nice kids. Tia tells Lucas Deranian (played by the late Donald Pleasence, a workaholic who appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows in the last 20 years of his life) not to get into his car. Moments later, a tow truck demolishes Deranian's car, and Deranian suspects that Tia may be a very special child.
Deranian tells his employer, Aristotle Bolt (Ray Milland, another veteran actor, who was struggling to find better roles after his ill-fated appearance in the critter-fest "Frogs" in 1972) that Tony and Tia may have powers. Mr. Bolt has an open mind about these things, and has been seeking supernatural guidance for some time. Mr. Bolt, wealthy multi-millionaire that he is, fabricates all sorts of documentation to be able to adopt the children for his own nefarious purposes.
Tony and Tia are quick to figure out that Mr. Bolt is sleazy, and they quickly make a break for freedom with Mr. Bolt sending all the forces in his power to find them.
Tony and Tia are fortunate in that they encounter kindly Jason O'Day (Eddie Albert, yet another veteran actor) and his camper. Though Jason appears gruff and bluff, he is actually a nice man and he decides to help the children.
As these events have been unfolding, we catch glimpses of visions that Tia is having. These visions seem to indicate that the children were involved in some kind of disaster at sea. Tia's star case and the visions seem to indicate that the children should go to Witch Mountain, and that's where Mr. O'Day is hoping to take them, with Mr. Bolt hot on their trail.
This DVD includes a sprinkling of extras. There is a making of feature, a cartoon, a featurette and more. Those fans who enjoy extras will find most of these extras interesting.
This Disney movie is sprinkled with enjoyable special effects. Things fly and instruments play themselves. Animals are controlled by telepathy and help the children to escape. All but the most jaded viewer should gain some enjoyment from this film. I think those who remember this film from its original release and children not yet warped by excessive computer graphics and special effects will find the most charm in this fun movie. This movie is worth watching over and over again. Enjoy!
IT'S ALWAYS A TREAT TO "ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN" WITH KIM & IKE March 22, 2006
"Escape to Witch Mountain" is an entertaining adventure with a dash of mystery and sci-fi mixed in for good measure, starring two of Disney's most talented kid actors, Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann. The story involves Kim and Ike as brother and sister, Tony and Tia, who are orphans that happen to have special powers. They know something is leading them to discover their true origins, but are unsure just what to do about it. While on a school outing, Tony and Tia use their special powers to stop an accident from occurring. Two evil men see these kids have special abilities and phone their boss, who is a power greedy criminal mastermind , played by Ray Milland. After discovering that the children are orphans, Milland decides to pose as their long lost uncle and adopt them. After the kids are adopted, they're taken to Milland's private estate, which is more of a fortress. The children discover two things at this point in the picture, (1) the discovery of a map, which gives direction to a place called Witch Mountain, is discovered under the front panel of Tia's star case purse. (2) that they are being used for evil purposes by the man that claims to be their uncle. Tony and Tia decide to escape to Witch Mountain and so begins their jouney into adventure. I remember seeing this movie for the first time on television's Wonderful World of Disney. The special effects were very impressive at that time, however, it was the young actors, Kim and Ike, that made the film special with their abilities to relate to the movies younger audience. The special edition dvd has a clean transfer and the sound is great. I enjoyed the interviews with Kim and Ike, as well as the "making of" feature with insights from the film's director. I highly recommend "Escape to Witch Mountain," as well as its' sequel, "Return from Witch Mountain," with Kim and Ike reprising their roles. Disney produced several highly entertaining films during the late 70's and this is one of their best. Thanks Kim and Ike, you'll always be remembered for these very enjoyable roles that all of us `70's kids still remember with fondness.
**UPDATE!** "Escape To Witch Mountain" and "Return From Witch Mountain" are now available both on one DVD disc, and sadly missing ALL of the movie trailers, commentaries, and extras that were part of the 2003 individual single disc "Special Edition" releases. If your only interested in the movies themselves (which are a lot of fun!) then this "2 Movie Collection" version is the way to go. I'm glad I got the "special edition" versions when I did, however, you can still get them from Amazon sellers, and no doubt for a sweet deal, too!
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